Solderless connecter



Nov. 8, 1938; L, EIRCE R 2,135,623

SOLDERLESS CONNECTER Filed April 4, 1933 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES.

SOLDERLESS CONNECTER Charles L. Peirce, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of one-half to Hubbard and Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 4, 1933, Serial No. 864,341

7 Claims.

This invention relates to solderless connecters such as are adapted to join or connect electrical conductors. Such connecters are used quite extensively for connecting or attaching service conductors to main feeder lines, for connecting transformer leads to power supply conductors, and for other analogous purposes.

The majority of solderless connecters used in the past and those now supplied to the trade were constructed substantially in accordance with the disclosure of United States Patent No. 1,206,044 dated November 28, 1916.

One of the chief objections to such prior art connecters was that in order to attach the same to main or feeder conductors, for example, it was necessary to take the connecters apart. Since the main conductors were almost always charged or live, it was customary for the workmen when attaching the connecters, to work with rubber gloves, and for this reason the parts thereof were frequently dropped.v Instead of replacing the part which was dropped, many workmen threw the connecter away and started with a new one. This practice, therefore, resulted in waste of connecters and also loss of time. A

An object of this invention is the provision of a connecterin which the component parts thereof will always be maintained in assembled relation to each other when it is prepared for attachment to conductors.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be apparent and will, in part, be obvious from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying (drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a connecter constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and in operative relation to a pair of conductors which have been connected thereby;

Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to the view in Fig. 1 showing the relative position of the component parts of the connecter to the conductors, one part of the connecter being shown in 4 abroken line position to indicate the relative position of that part of the connecter when it is in condition to be removed from the conductors or in preparation for attachment thereto;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an element embodied 50 in the makeup of the connecter;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the connecter part shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a contact block embodied in the connecter;

55 Figs. 6 and '7 are and elevation and top plan intact or in assembled relation when prepared eiviews respectively, of the contact block shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of a connecter embodying a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a contact 5 block associated with a part of the connecter in Fig.

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation showing a still further modified form of connecter in its operative relation to a pair of conductors which 10 10 taken at right angles thereto, a part of the connecter being shown in a broken line position when the connecter may either be removed from 16 the conductors or applied thereto;

Fig. 12 is a view of one part of the connecter of Figs. 10 and 11, a part thereof being shown in section taken on line XII-XII of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the connecter part 20 shown in Fig. 12.

Throughout the drawing and specification like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawing, a connecter I, embodying one. form of invention and its com- 25 ponent parts, are shown. This connecter is adapted to join conductors, particularly electrical conductors. Connecters of this type are used largely for connecting a service conductor to a feeder conductor, although they may be and fre- 30 quently are utilized for connecting transformer leads to power supply conductors, and for other analogous purposes. In the drawing, the connecter is shown as joining a service conductor 2 to a main or feeder conductor 3. 35

Connecter I comprises, clamp parts 4 and 5 which holdthe conductors together in line contact witheach other at their point of tangency. In order that the clamp parts may be maintained ther for removal from or attachment to the conductors to be joined, means 6 are provided. Means 6 permits a predetermined amount of movement between the respective clamp parts when preparing them for attachment to or removal from the conductors but will not permit accidental disassociation or complete separation thereof. Therefore, the linemen may handle thes'econnecters freely without danger of droppins or losing any of the clamp parts.

Clamp part 4 comprises a bolt having a polyhedral head I and a threaded bifurcated shank 9. Shank 9 may be considered as a yoke ofU- shape having spaced legs II and II joined at Contact block l4 may be iormedin a die trom a sheet or blank of copper and so shaped as to provide a body portion I 5, substantially rectangular in transverse section, adapted to extend through the nut, and having a side wall [6, end walls Hand 9. top wall It, the bottom and side opposite wall Hibeing open.

Thetop wall l8 is'of greater length than the diameter of the opening in the nut so that the nut forms a backing therefor when the-clamp parts are drawn together about the conductors. The top face of wall l8 may be grooved-or re-, cessed as at H! to form a seat for one of the I conductors to be joined or connected to another conductor. a a The depth of block I4 is such that there will be sufiicient space on either side thereof to accommodate the'leg s of the bifurcated bolt shank when the contact block is between them as shown in Fig. 2.

In. order that the contactblock may be lock in the nut, the lower ends of side walls I! may be bent outwardly as at 20 (see Figs. 1 and 5), so as to overlap the bottom face, of the nut.

Means 6 which is provided to maintain nut 13 and contact block l4 in assembled-relation to clamp part 4 may comprise a strip 2| of metal adapted to lie along the inside face of one'or the other of legs 9 and I O, for example, leg 8,'and to extend through the nut to one side of contact block l4.

The upper end of the strip is bent laterally and provided withan opening adapted to it the con-tour of leg 9 and frictionally engage the same so that the strip will be lield in the position shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the strip termin'ates in a hook 23 adapted to .catch or engage the lower edge of side l6 of the block when the nut is removed from the bolt shank as indicated in Fig.2 by the broken line position of the nut indicated at 24. I

To join a pair of conductors by means of the and block. The lower portion of the strip including the hook may be strengthened and rigidified by forming a corrugation therein such as connecter above described, particularly when one of the conductors is a through conductor, the nut is removed from the bolt shank and permitted to rest onthe hook 23 (see Fig. 2). The

conductor 3 is then slipped through the space between nut l3 and the end of leg II and the connecter shifted so that the legs 9 and I0 straddle the conductor. The nut may now be threaded on the shank.

.The dead-end or service conductor 2 is next passed through the bolt shank between the head tomary practice.

In Fig. 8 of the drawing a connecter 28, em-

bodying a modified form of the invention, is

the clamp parts in assembled relation when prepared either 'for attachment to or removal from conductors such as conductors 2 and 3 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Clamp part 21 may comprise a bolt having a shank 3|, similar to the shank of the connecter illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, between which the conductors may be placed. 7

Clamp part 28 comprises a contact block 32 "which extends through a nut 33 and is turnably supported thereby. The contact block comprises a body portion 34 of substantially inverted U- shape having a transverse portion 35, the ends of which lie across nut.33. The upper face of the transverse portion is recessed or grooved as at 36 to form a seat for one 'of the conductors to be clamped or joined by the-connecter. The ends of the legs of the U -shaped body portion may be bent outwardly as at 31 to engage the hotshown which comprises a clamp part 21 and I ,a clamppart 28, means 29 being provided to hold,

polyhedral head 30 and a threaded bifurcated.

tom face of the nutand thereby lock the contact block thereto. The thickness of the contact f'block is such that it may extend through the space between the legs of the bifurcated shank and provide suflicient clearance von either side thereof through which the legs of the bifurcated member may pass as the nut is threaded on or off the same. v

The means 29 which is provided to hold the nut and contact block in assembled relation to -'part 21 of the connecter, comprises an extenwhen the nut has been turned off -or removedfrom the bifurcated shank of clamp part 21, the

nut and contact block will be supported on the lug 4t! so that the parts of the connecterwill not become disassociated while the lineman is in i the act of attaching the conductors by means of this connecter.

The connecter as illustrated in Fig. 8, is in conditi on or prepared to receive the conductors of Figs. 1 and 2. When the connecter has been placed over the conductor with the legs of the bifurcated shank straddling the same, the nut may be threaded on'the shank after which the other conductor may be inserted between the legs,

the conductors placed one on the'other in centered relation as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and the nut drawn'up tightly to clamp them firmly and positively together.

attachment-- to or removal from conductors 2 y and 3.

Clamp part 43 comprises abifurcate'd internally threaded member 46 having wre'nch flats 41 and a conductor receiving'recess or seat 48 at its'- upper end. Clamp part 44 comprises athreaded member I 49 adapted to be threaded into or out of clamp V part 43 and a contact block 50 which is swivelly connected to the upper endthe'reof as at 5|. 1

Contact block 50 may be made in theform of a disc from metal,- such ss copper, and provided with curved openings 52 through which the legs of bifurcated member 46 may pass and permit movement of the block or disc as member 49 is threaded into or out of the bifurcated members. Disc or block 50 may be provided with a recess or groove 53 which forms a seat for conductor 3.

Means 45, which is provided to maintain the clamp parts in assembled relation when member 49 is threaded out of member 46, may include an upwardly curved lug 54 formed integrally with one of the legs of member 46 adaptedto hook under one side of disc 50 when clamp part 44 is in the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 11.

Another lug 55, which is curved downwardly, may

be provided adjacent to lug 54, to prevent clamp part 44 from being pulled off lug 54. Since the clamp parts cannot be accidentally disassociated from ear-i other, the linemen may work unhampered by the possibility of losing one or the other of the clamp parts while'engaged in the act of attaching the same to connecters. I

'Iheconnecter shown in Figs. 10 and 11 oper ates in substantially the same manner as the connecters previously described. For example, if part 45 and block 50 are in the broken line position indicated in Fig. 11, the bifurcated member 45 is slipped over conductor 3 and member 49 threaded into the same. Conductor 2 is then inserted and part 49 drawn up tightly by means of a wrench, whereby the conductors are joined and clamped together firmly and positively as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

While several connecters embodying different forms of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that,the invention is not limited to the specific details and arrangement of parts illustrated, and that various modifications and changes (maybe made without departing from either the spirit or the scope of the invention. It is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed on the invention as are imposed thereon by the prior art and the appended claims.

What I claim as new and Letters Patent is:

1. A solderless connecter comprising an internally threaded bifurcated member adapted to re- K ceive conductors to be joined, a bolt adapted to be threaded, into, said member, a-contact block having a swivel connection with the end of the bolt adapted to move between the legs of the bifurcated member as the bolt is threadeddnto desire to secure by bifurcated member as the bolt is threaded into or out of the same, and a lug on said bifurcated member adapted to hold the bolt and contact block in assembled relation to the bifurcated member when said bolt is disengaged from the internal threads of said member.

3. In a device of the kind described, a keeper lug having a. U-shaped portion formed by spaced legs connected at one end by a bight, the inner walls of the legs being segmentally screw-threaded to form a longitudinally extended screw-way, the spacing of the legs providing a passage for the reception of wires and the inner face of the bight providing a wire seat, the end of one of the legs being extended and turned perpendicularly to form a retaining lip, a press-block pierced by a central bearing socket, and slots laterally spaced to register with and slidably engage the legs of the keeper lug, the pressblock being thereby adapted for such slidable engagement and permanently though freely anchored to the extended leg of the lug through said'retaining lip, and a press-screw having its working end journaled through the bearing socket of the press-block and upset to rotatively pendicularly to form a retaining lip, a pressblock pierced by slots adapted to register with and slidably engage the legs of the keeper lug,

that leg of the lug carryingthe retaining lip being passed through one of the slots of the press-block and permanently and slidably anchored to the block through the said retaining lip, by which arrangement the said block may be moved away from the end of the other leg for the admission of wires to the wire seat, or

may be closed upon that other leg and pressed towards the wire seat, and a press screw adapted and arranged to engage the screw-way of the keeper lug. when the press-block is closed l on the shorter leg, the end of the press screw being rotatively anchored to the said press block.

5. In a device of the kind described, a U- shaped keeper lug comprising spaced-legs and a connecting bight, the end of one of the legs being extended and turned out to form a retaining lip,

the inner sides of the legs being concaved longitudinally and segmentally threaded to form a screw-way directed towards the bight, a pressblock having a central bearing socket and laterally spaced marginal slots for slidably engaging the legs of the lug, the said retaining lip and connected leg of the lug being thus passed through one of the slots of the pressblock and permanently and freely anchored thereto whereby the opposite margin of the block may be swung up and the slot at that margin may be passed over the opposite leg of the lug and the block slid bodily over thelegs toward the said bight, and. a press-screw fitted sto the screw-way of the lug, he end of the screw being journaled through the said hearing socket of the press block and upset for rotatively anchoring the screw to the block 6. In a device of the-kind described, a keeper lug including a U-shaped portion of spaced and parallel legs connected by a bight, the inner walls of the legs being segmentally screw-threaded to form a screw-way, the end of one of the legs being extended and. turned perpendicularly to provide a retaining lip, a slotted press-block slidably mounted by its slots upon the legs and "held in that relation by the'retai'ning lip and a press-screw for the said screw-way for forcing the press-block towards the bight, the inner end of the screw being rotatively anchored to the .press-block.

7. In a. device of the kind described, a keeper mentelly to provide a screw-way towards thelug including a U-shaped portion of spaced and bight; a slotted press-block slidably mounted upparallel legs connected by a, bight, the inner walls on the legs and retained by theretaining lip,

of the legs being segmentally screw-threaded to and a press-screw utilizing the screw-way for form a screw-way, the end of one'leg belng forging the press-block towards the bight. turned perpendicularly to form a retaining lip, v

the inner faces of the legs being tapped segv CHARLES JR; 

